Step back
Give the snake room. Do not touch, trap, chase or try to kill it.
Sydney snake guide · Venomous and threatened
Broad-headed snake
Hoplocephalus bungaroides
A threatened species that must never be disturbed or handled. Treat any unknown snake as potentially dangerous, stay back and do not use this page as a reason to handle it.
Call about a snake sighting0485 669 824
Quick field context
What the profile can—and cannot—tell you
Habitat: Sydney sandstone habitats and rock outcrops.
Risk summary: Venomous and threatened. A web page cannot reliably identify a snake from a hurried glance, and colour can change with age, light and individual variation.
Keep several metres back, move children and pets away, and note the last position. Do not try to turn over cover, block an escape route or collect the snake.
Read the supporting museum or NSW reference ↗Do this now
Four calm steps make the scene safer
Clear the area
Move children and pets indoors or behind a closed door.
Keep a safe view
If you can do so safely, note where it goes. Never corner it.
Call the network
Tell us the suburb, the last clear location and any immediate risks.
Compare safely
Other Sydney snake profiles
Highly venomous
Eastern brown snake
Pseudonaja textilisColour varies greatly, so never rely on colour alone.
Venomous
Red-bellied black snake
Pseudechis porphyriacusUsually glossy black above with red or pink colour along the lower sides.
Non-venomous
Diamond python
Morelia spilota spilotaA heavy-bodied python with cream or yellow diamond-like markings.
Venomous; not generally considered dangerous
Yellow-faced whip snake
Demansia psammophisA small fast-moving snake with distinctive facial markings.
Mildly venomous
Golden-crowned snake
Cacophis squamulosusSmall, nocturnal and dark-bodied with a pale crown marking.
Mildly venomous
Marsh snake
Hemiaspis signataA small olive to brown snake often associated with wetter ground.
Keep it simple
Snake still visible? Call while you know where it is.
One clear phone number connects you with the SnakeSafe Sydney catcher network. We’ll ask a few quick questions and check current coverage.